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b : a plant or animal that becomes established in an area where it was previously unknown

synonyms: newcomer, settler, incomer, new arrival, migrant

refugee: noun (ref·u·gee \ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē)

one that flees; especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution; a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

(Merriam-Webster dictionary) I am an immigrant. I have been an immigrant for the past 8 years. I know that makes some of you nervous. You think of me as a missionary or as an expat, but I’m an immigrant in the eyes of the rest of the world. I first occupied the definition of immigrant status when I moved to Costa Rica. I was a newcomer, a new arrival, a biological being in a new place surrounded by a new habitat, an outsider. I later immigrated to Peru, where I became a legal, card carrying resident for 5 years. But I never gained status as a citizen or as a native of Peru…no, I would always be thought of as an immigrant, an outsider, different. Now, I have immigrated again. I now live in Spain as a permanent resident. We’ve been here for two years so far. I came here speaking the language. I look like everyone else. I’m not as easily distinguished by my appearance. But, I will forever be an immigrant. It is a label that never goes away for me. It is tough to be an immigrant. Yes, it is something that I chose to do. I’m here because I want to be here to do the work that I am called to do. But that doesn’t make being an immigrant any easier. Immigrants, aliens in a foreign land. Outside of our home culture, away from our native language, separated from family and friends and all of our emotional support systems. Nothing seemed familiar, everything seemed strange and different when we moved here. Away from home. Away from community. Away from any sense of belonging. Lost. It’s hard living in a new world and trying to adapt and fit in and find people who will stand beside you. All of this brings on heightened stress, transition shock, culture shock, financial struggles, family stressors, marriage and relational stress, frequent misunderstandings and conflicts. Loneliness. Exhaustion. Depression. Yes, we’ve been through all of that. And we still fight some of it, even after being immigrants for many years. I want to show you some other immigrants. (see below) These are the people that we work with, that we love, that we share life with here. We are all immigrants. Some of my friends, by definition, are also refugees. They fled persecution or danger in their home country. Some ran from physically abusive situations. Some of them are not legal, due to their fears of eventually being found and sent back to the situation that sent them here in the first place. These are people who left behind family, who left their culture and their language, who left all of their belongings. The current issue of mass migration in Europe is astounding. The refugee population is clamoring for hope, leaving behind all that they know. Immigration touches every age group and every socio-economic status. It isn’t choosy… it doesn’t elect whom to touch… it touches us all. When hundreds of thousands of souls decide that life is worth risking it all and striking out on epic voyages that have costs thousands and thousands of lives already, we should sit up and take notice. As followers of Christ – disciples of Him – we should fall back on what we know to be Truth:Matthew 2:14 - And he (Joseph) rose and took the child (Jesus) and his mother (Mary) by night and departed to Egypt. Jesus was an immigrant. Jesus was a refugee fleeing a murderous king and tyranic government.Exodus 22:21 - “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. The Israelites were a nation of immigrants and refugees, fleeing from Egypt and the oppression of an unjust government.Leviticus 25:35 - “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Deuteronomy 10:18 - He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Original law of the old testament was highly in favor of hospitality, especially to strangers and those traveling through your land in search of a new life.Hebrews 13:2 - Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. The new church is warned to remember who they are, remember hospitality, and remember Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25:40 ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ I leave you with two more:Philippians 3:20 - But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ Mark 12:30-31 - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” We minister to the least, the lost, and the left out. We love them, because we are one of them. We are immigrants. That’s who we are.

This is a sampling of our immigrant friends. Many of our friends are NOT pictured here. Over 80% of our work is with immigrants and people living outside of their home culture.

Peggy Allum

9/12/2015 09:27:34 pm

What a clear statement of immigrants--remember many our forefathers were in the same state as they came to USA. Stories of Christian love abound. Praise you for giving us a glimpse of that life.

Donna Young

9/14/2015 02:30:17 pm

Thank you, Laurie, for sharing this. It has been some years since I've seen you guys. What y'all are doing is absolutely awesome!

I don't always take the time to read your newsletters but I am glad I read this one.

Many of us are even immigrants in our own country here in the US. When we leave one life and begin another, when we move to another city or state for a new life whether due to a new job or career or other reason, or when we leave one church for another, based on the Webster definition you shared, I'd say most of us are immigrants in one fashion or another.

How truly sad it is when we judge others as lesser than or too different than ourselves to be accepted, loved, supported. It seems we have become so self-involved and selfish that we no longer share what God gave us with others in need such as our time, our home, and ourselves most of all, and so in doing this we have lost one of the main tenets of our Christianity that separates us from the world.

We have in so many ways become Christian in name only. In other words, we have become hypocrites - the very ones Christ himself spoke against.

We must change this or we are doomed! People get angry when they are reminded or shown their sins. But we all sin and are imperfect. No one is better than another, period. And we all have the opportunity to turn away from sin and back to Christ. And follow with our whole hearts what God's will is for us. We can start by loving our fellow human beings, treat our planet with care and compassion, and follw the golden rule.

Thank you for having the courage to do what you do and to continue to do it and to remind us all of where we came from and whose we are.

Laurie Drum

Who am I? In my USA life, I was a teacher for 15 years. I was also a professional photographer, a Southern Living / Martha Stewart wannabe, a soccer mom, and a short term mission team coordinator / intern director for missions in Mexico... you name it, I probably tried it!

In 2006, my husband Billy and I became cross-cultural workers (CCWs) with TMS Global. For five years, we served in three rural Quechua Wanca villages in the Andes of Peru. And when I say rural, I mean RURAL - like no potty! We have three incredible children... two adult boys who live in Texas, and the princess Sarah (13) lives with us in whatever country we are serving. I'm still teaching, still taking photos, still leading teams and mentoring, I just do it all in full-time service now! And I'm working hard at giving Southern Living and Martha Stewart a run for their money! I spent my days in Peru learning to live a Quechua lifestyle in a rustic adobe house - cooking Peruvian foods, sewing with Quechua women, raising my chickens and goats and pigs, and planting my gardens. Now I live my life in el campo in Spain, serving other cross-cultural workers and immigrant peoples, writing, and trying to figure out what life looks like for a Texas girl serving Christ in Southern Europe. Life in His service is AWESOME! I'm happy to share it with you here... Enjoy!